The Christening

Yesterday was the official first day of owning our new home, so to break it in, we popped champagne with our Chicago family – and broke some bubbly, too. Not long after our closing day, Scott suggested that we smash a bottle of champagne to christen the house for good luck; à la Kate Middleton, naturally. The practice is rooted in tradition and typically tied to big, fancy ships, but once we got the idea in our heads, well, there’s no going back.

While we were breaking things in – literally – I was overly excited to wear my new worker’s gloves for the first time (safety first!). The gloves, just like the house (and my shirt and shoes), were doused in champagne – something we imagine can only mean good fortune. Good things to come!

I’d be amiss not to mention that it took me four tries to finally break that bottle (thickest glass in the world, I tell you!), but through a stroke of luck, my girl P captured the most important swing:

We can’t think of a better way to have spent our first day of new home ownership – surrounded by our best friends, toasting the night with pizza delivered to our front porch, lounging on blankets and lawn chairs, laughing a little too loud and getting tipsy – as one does when champagne is involved.

What a perfect way to christen a new house! So glad you’re in there and ready to start work. I’m looking forward to watching your style and skills evolve. And even more excited to see full monty pictures. Of the house, not you. Don’t want to be creepy or anything. ;)ReplyCancel

We spent three days (and night) painting when we first got our loft. This looks like more fun!ReplyCancel

Amanda Z. -July 2, 2013 - 1:43 PM

This is such a great idea and should become more of a tradition with houses!

We bought our home 8 years ago. The night we closed we brought over a huge box of dirty dishes from our flat because our new home had a DISHWASHER! I was never washing dishes again. We also brought 5 gallon bucket of Kilz and started tackling the maroon ceiling in the living room and the hunter green ceiling in the dining room.ReplyCancel

We pulled the driveway and jumped straight into the pool with clothes on. We’d been driving for 7 hours in the middle of July from L.A. to Scottsdale. Seemed appropriate. Congrats on all the new house stuff! Super exciting ♡ReplyCancel

Centsational Girl -July 2, 2013 - 2:38 PM

That is a FABULOUS way (the perfect way actually) to christen your new home, congratulations, can’t wait to watch the DIY journey of house to home.
xo
KateReplyCancel

When we closed on the firehouse we imbibed some champagne and launched straight into a super secret project (ugh, suspense!) When we moved in a month later I was all over getting our bedroom set up so we could have one room that was a sanctuary. Smashing a bottle on the house would have been way more fun! :)ReplyCancel

I can’t exactly remember how we christened our house (almost 4 years ago!), but I think it involved painting the master bedroom green, and possibly pizza. I think we did something a little more official when we moved in?ReplyCancel

Whenever my husband found out you could buy cheap champagne (he thought it only came in $50 bottles) we have champagne Fridays. On move-in week we were also celebrating our anniversary, so we buried our cake topper (now 2 years old, was at his mother’s house, and thawed/got disgusting during a hurricane) under a bird bath in the front yard.

Easier in a house than in an apartment, isn’t it ? We bought an apartment like yours 2 years ago and drank Champagne that day, but I’ll keep your great idea in mind for our next home, hoping it will be a house too.
In France we also say “Champagne” to celebrate something (before drinking some, of course). I can hear you pronouncing it, I love that.
Congrats and good luck with your new home !ReplyCancel

We bought our house and immediately invited friends over to see the before. Next we spent for months painting,added a screened porch, new carpet and some engineered flooring. Next we christened or house with our friends coming for the after reveal and dinner.ReplyCancel